>> General information
China is a country with an ancient civilization.
The full name of China is The People's Republic of China. Its
capital city is Beijing.
---China is the world's third largest country by area, with
a vast territory covering 9.6 million square kilometers,
---The total Chinese population is 1.3 billion, or 22% of the
world population.
---There are 56 ethnic groups in China. The Han nationality,
the main ethnic group, accounts for 91% of the total population.
---Many different religions are practiced in China. The main
ones include Taoism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity.
---There are 24 ethnic written languages and more than 80 ethnic
languages are spoken. Han characters are the common written
script in China. Mandarin is the official language that China
promotes.
>> Economy
Since the establishment of the People's Republic
of China, the national economy has witnessed comparatively rapid
growth. In particular, since the implementation of the opening-up
and reform policies of 1978, the Chinese economy has been growing
at the average annual rate of 9% in a sustained, stable and
healthy manner. Statistics in 2004 show:
---GDP: RMB13.65 trillion
---Total import and export: USD1.16 trillion, of which export
was USD593 billion, and import was USD561 billion
---Total foreign investment: USD61 billion
The further development of the market economy, the continuous
improvement of laws and regulations, the greater openness, and
the deepening of the reforms in the financial sector will all
underpin the continued economic development in China.
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>> Geography
China is located in the northern hemisphere,
in the eastern and central part of Asia, and on the western
coast of the Pacific. The country faces the sea on the southeast
and extends inland in the northwest direction.
---The land border is 22,800 km, the coastline of the mainland
is 18,000 km. Including the coastlines of the various islands,
the total coastline of the country is 30,000km.
---The country boasts a varied and spectacular terrain which
includes mountains, plateaus, hills, basins, plains, Gobi, deserts
and grottos. Almost all the typical geographical features can
be found in China.
---There are numerous rivers and lakes. The total length of
rivers is 430,000km. The Yangtze and the Yellow River are respectively
the longest and second longest rivers in China. There are 24,900
natural lakes.
---China has more than 5000 islands, adding up to a total area
of 80,000 square kilometers.
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Climate
China has a vast territory. Going from the
south to the north, the various climate zones are the tropical,
the subtropical, the warm temperate, the temperate and the cold
temperate zones. Of these, the subtropical, the warm temperate,
and the temperate zones account for 70% of the total area. |
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>> Sights and Attractions
The Palace Museum (Beijing,
China) ¨C It is also named as the Forbidden City. It was the
imperial palace in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It covers an
area of 720,000 square meters and the palace itself has more
than 9,000 rooms. It is the world's largest and best-preserved
group of palace buildings.
The Great Wall (Hebei
province, China)¨C Over the span of more than 2000 years, various
dynasties in Chinese history built great walls as a defense
against foreign invasions. The best-preserved and most intact
wall, totaling 6700km, was built in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).
Throughout all of human history, the Great Wall is the construction
that has taken the longest to complete, using the most manpower
and materials.
Pingyao Ancient City(Shanxi
province, China)¨C This 2700-year-old ancient town is the only
complete city among all of China's entries to apply for recognition
as a World Cultural Heritage. It is also known as the "the treasure
trove and finest collection of ancient Chinese architecture".
The Classic Gardens of Suzhou(Jiangsu
province, China)- The Classic Gardens of Suzhou boast a celebrated
architectural style, noted for its beautiful scenes, elegant
buildings and literary connotations. The Humble Administrator's
Garden, the Lingering Garden, the Master-of-Nets Garden and
the Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty represent the concentrated
essence of wisdom of the Chinese and are the finest specimens
of all classical gardens of Suzhou. In December 1997, the classical
gardens of Suzhou were listed as a world cultural heritage by
the UNESCO Heritage Committee.
Mogaoku Grottoes(Gansu
province, China)- Mogaoku Grottoes are the most magnificent
and well-preserved treasures of Buddhist art in existence. Currently,
45,000 square meters of murals are intact.
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The Yellow Mountains(Anhui province,
China)- The Yellow Mountains have gained worldwide fame for
their "Three Wonders" (pine trees, clouds and stones) and "Four
Excellences" (magical pines, strange stones, sea of clouds and
thermal springs). The Yellow Mountains were listed among China's
Top Ten Scenery Spots in 1986 and added to UNESCO's World Natural
Heritage List in 1990.
The Old Town of Lijiang(Yunnan
province, China)- The Old Town of Lijiang has over 800 years
of history. The heavenly scenery, magnificent mountains and
long history have given the old town a rich atmosphere of traditional
ethnic culture. It was added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage
List in 1997.
Jiuzhaigou(Sichuan
province, China) - Jiuzhaigou is a world-class scenic spot noted
for its natural beauty. Featuring lakes, streams and ponds,
the site boasts a breathtaking tableau of mountains, waterfalls,
trees and stones. The sights of tufa karsts featuring high mountains,
colorful lakes and waterfalls are hailed as the height of perfection.
The Potala Palace (Tibet,
China) - The Potala Palace is perched 3,700 meters above sea
level and occupies a total area of 360,000 square meters with
a total floor area of 130,000 square meters. The main building,
constructed using the stone-wood structure, has 13 floors and
is 117 meters tall. This monumental group of buildings is the
world's highest in terms of altitude and the largest in scale.
The Qin Shihuang Terra-Cotta Warriors(Shaanxi
province, China) - The Qin Shihuang Terracotta Warriors and
Horses are stored in the burial pits of Qin Shihuang's (an ancient
Chinese emperor) mausoleum. In the Museum of the Terracotta
Warriors and Horses, there is a magnificent underground army
composed of over 7000 terracotta warriors and horses. It is
the largest underground military museum in the world and said
to be "the eighth wonder of the world". |
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